The invention relates to a motor switching apparatus installed on a motor for use in equipment that requires multiple power outputs, such as multi-function printers (MFPs), and particularly a motor switching module that employs a rotary disk to switch phases.
Nowadays office machines such as copiers, printers, facsimile machines and scanners are indispensable information equipment in the office environment. All business and administrative tasks are closely tied to these machines. Each office machine occupies a site. Adding it all together, they take a lot of space and become a great burden to the work environment that has spatial constraints. In addition, each office machine has different functions. Utilization frequency of these single function office machines is also different. Some office machines are not frequently used. But in order to meet business requirements, they still have to be procured and installed.
In order to remedy the problems set forth above, Multi-Function Peripherals (MFPs) have been developed and introduced. These MFPs integrate the functions of copying, printing, facsimile and scanning. Users can process a wide range of office tasks by procuring only one MFP. As a result, a large amount of space and cost is saved. Moreover, the MFP often provides a simple operation interface and becomes an All-in-one device.
A conventional MFP generally has a scanner device located on the upper side to process scanning operations. Coupled with the setting of the microprocessor and communication lines, it also can perform facsimile functions after the scanning operation is done. The machine further has a printing device located therein. There is a paper-feeding device located on one side of the machine. With the printing device and the paper-feeding device coupled together, printing operations may be performed. Thus the motion mechanism of the MFP includes at least devices for scanning, printing and paper feeding. The scanner device includes a CCD to be moved reciprocally, a transmission belt engaged with the CCD, and a driving motor coupled with the transmission belt to provide rotation power. The printing device may be an inkjet or laser printer using carbon powders driven by a motor. The inkjet device includes a carrier that holds the ink cartridge and moves reciprocally, a transmission belt engaged with the carrier, and a driving motor coupled with the transmission belt to provide rotation power. The paper-feeding device includes a rotary paper feeding barrel, a transmission gear set engaging with a paper feeding axle, and a driving motor engaged with the transmission gear set to provide rotation power.
In the aforesaid MFP, the devices and the driving motors are coupled in an one-on-one fashion. The rotation power required by one device is provided by one driving motor. Such a design merely puts one scanner and one inkjet printer in a machine. While the electronic circuits are integrated, in terms of their mechanisms, each device still operates independently. Hence they are not truly integrated. The number of the driving motors is not reduced, and the driving motors take a significant portion of the cost and occupy a great amount of space in the machine.
The primary object of the invention is to resolve the problems set forth above. The invention provides a phase rotary disk motor switching module to optimize the utilization of motor power and enable a single motor to provide multiple power output.
The phase rotary disk motor switching module of the invention consists of a rotary disk, an output gear, a retaining element, a plurality of phase gears and a plurality of driven gears corresponding to the phase gears. The rotary disk is coupled to a motor. The motor has a power output shaft coupled with a driving gear. The phase gears are located on the periphery of the rotary disk and are coupled with the driving motor. The peripheral rim of the rotary disk has a plurality of anchor notches. The retaining element may latch on one of the anchor notches to enable the rotary disk to define a plurality of corresponding phases. Each phase has an adjacent driven gear coupled with one phase gear. Thus motor power may be transmitted through the driving gear, phase gears and driven gears and output to provide a plurality of power output phases.
When the motor rotates in the positive direction, it drives the rotary disk and enables the retaining element to selectively switch to various phases. When the motor rotates in the reverse direction, the rotary disk is prevented from turning due to the restriction of the retaining element. Meanwhile, the driving gear may be driven by the motor to transmit power through the phase gear on a selected phase to the coupled driven gear.
The foregoing, as well as additional objects, features and advantages of the invention will be more readily apparent from the following detailed description, which proceeds with reference to the accompanying drawings.